Sky is to enter the IPTV arena with an internet-hosted TV service of its own.

The station will launch before July this year, the satellite broadcaster pledged, and it'll see many of Sky's existing channels, including Sky Movies, being streamed over the net to a range of devices.

Sky promised owners of "PCs, Macs, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, games consoles and connected TVs" will be able to access the service.

How the financial side will work is unclear. Sky already makes streams of its content available to satellite subscribers. It promised other folk will be able to view its channels over the internet with "no minimum contract" - pay to view, in other words.

The current service, Sky Go, will continue as "a bonus service for existing Sky TV customers".

Sky's scheme was undoubtedly spurred by the arrival of US movie streamer Netflix to the UK and the price and content fight with local rival the Amazon-owned Lovefilm.

Both streaming services are hindered by the limited range of material they offer to watch. Sky has content in spades and since it already has the rights to stream much of that material to its customers, it's in a good position to extend those rights deals to paying punters who are not subscribers. ®